Fantasia Barrino has got her girl Jennifer Hudson's back. Though Barrino and auditioned for and lost the role of Effie in Dreamgirls to Hudson, she's crossing her fingers that come Tuesday Hudson will not only be a Golden Globe winner but an Oscar nominee too. (Check back on People.com for the latest on Oscar nominees as they're announced at 8:38 a.m. ET Tuesday.) "Anything is possible. She's a powerhouse," Barrino tells PEOPLE. And times are good for both former Season 3 Idol castmates. "We come from really basically nothing. Just young women trying so hard, and the door’s finally open."

Not only is Fantasia touring with Hudson's Dreamgirls costar Jamie Foxx, but she also hopes to play soul legend Aretha Franklin on Broadway. "She is my idol," says Barrino. "So, hopefully I'll get that part. The first time I met her, I had so much to say, and I didn’t get to say none of it. I got so nervous I cried."